Star Citizen Alpha 3.18 Now In Evocati – But Is It Too Late?
Star Citizen Alpha 3.18 has finally entered the Evocati Test Phase. CI had originally said that the testing cycle for Alpha 3.18 could be as long as 3 months due to the nature of features being tested in it, mostly being that PES (Persistent Entity Streaming) was a monumental change to server & database tech. Why is that a problem, well CI want to release 3.18.0 to LIVE by mid November… so they have around a month and as I said 3.18 has only just entered the Evocati phase.
So what could happen here? Well a few things, 3.18 could be delayed, the patch could be split up into point patches 3.18.0 / .1 / .2 so only a portion of the content for the initial launch or some features could slip into 3.19. The other possibility is that we would have 3.17.4 or something come out later in November… the reason a patch is due around that time is because of the 2952 IAE… the yearly mega ship sale and some of the content expected in 3.18 like the Drake Corsair is expect for that.
Last year’s IAE (Intergalactic Aerospace Expo) started on the 19th November and ran until December 1st (you can expect similar this year, I am expecting it to start on Friday the 18th of November.) One of the Expo Halls around the Star Citizen Universe will host a ship expo, where every day a new ship manufacturer takes the floor and has ships available to try for free, their ships in development are shown off too, both in game and typically with ISC Specials… I am hoping to see updates on the Banu Merchantman but also a variety of other ships and vehicles.
There is a freefly on during the same time, so anyone can try Star Citizen for free and get access to those ships. There is a massive ship sale that mirrors what ships are on show on the showfloor, we can probably expect a new concept and or straight to flyable sale of a couple of ships and vehicles too. But we also see limited and capital ships go on sale with small stocks being sold in waves. But if you want to pick up an Idris… you can!
I am really hoping we get the fly the Corsair for the first time here!
So yeah CI had made a potential rod for their back with 3.18 & the IAE.
That said CI have been testing and fixing a lot of the problems with 3.18 internally and it’s quite possible they have been able to deal with a lot of the expected issues without the evocati’s help this time, tho it is basically going to be down to how the testing phase goes… what type of issues and bugs crop up, how stable and refined is PES… and then the other features, do they have enough time to get them into 3.18 initial along with all that IAE 2952 stuff.
What are we expecting Feature Wise with Alpha 3.18 now?
PES Persistent Entity Streaming
Salvage – Hull Stripping
Vulture, Reclaimer, Multi-Tool, Repair, salvage sites
Cargo Refactor – Physicalizing Cargo – Might Not be much more… tho could have loading / unloading fees and times, larger scale containers, new cargo boxes.
Daymar Crash Site – 600i, MSR, Junker Town
More & Updated Rivers – microTech & Hurston
Sand Caves – Daymar
Greycat PTV Race Track – Orison Vision Centre
Prison Updates & New Missions
SPK & Crime Updates & New Missions
New Missions on Platforms at Orison
Drake Corsair
There is likely going to be some other stuff
Gen 12 Renderer Updates
Probably some other straight to flyable / driveable
VOLT Electron Weapons
Other New Missions
New Commodities
Some of the stuff they showed at citizencon might start to be phased in or the groundwork laid for.
It’s likely as well that we will get an wider PTU test of 3.18 closer to the IAE and then we can start showing off content in the patch with tangible footage and actually talk about what’s in and whats not.
Boom, that’s it for your Alpha 3.18 Cycle Update…